SME buying behaviour: Literature review and an application agenda

Abstract

SMEs have been recognised as important actors of commercial activity, especially in the second half of the 20th century. Although understanding customer potential has been named a top priority among many sectors, we have a limited body of knowledge regarding SMEs' buying behaviour. Many studies and industry practices frame the context within corporate or individual buying behaviour, however few researchers mention SMEs, and whenever they do, they tend to consider them as small versions of big enterprises. A holistic approach enables an extensive review of the literature, including some studies that focus on Turkey, and proposes a deductive application agenda. Although SMEs are categorised into “normative” or “conservative” buyers, the lack of application makes this dichotomy untested. An adopted unified model can be used for further research. A validated model can not only provide insights into SME buying behaviour, but also potentially open discussion on unnecessary distinctions between corporate and individual buying behaviour models. The paper also challenges the possible reasoning behind the lack of interest in SME buying behaviour, and scrutinises a comprehensive knowledge base for exploratory application.